January | 2011 | Life since the office

Some recent photos…

Nothing too unusual to report. Lots of rain, the usual work out at Stockland, and a bit of a look around the Venn Ottery parts of the reserve.

: Johnny and Richard take a look at the Stockland site that was cleared a few years ago.

: We’re finishing up the current Stockland site.

: Sheep on Venn Ottery hill. There will soon be quarry works here.

: This one is called Simone

: Here Tia explains that the quarry diggers will soon be moving in

: Below Venn Ottery Common, this Spruce must have some sort of an ear infection

27 January, 2011 | Categories: RSPB, Work | Leave a comment

As an extra special birthday present the RSPB have put my through some tractor training. Thanks to the marvellous, patient Ray Piper for teaching us the ways of the PTO and 3 point linkage. On day three (today) we were assessed by Ray, and I’ve now been given the go ahead to get tractoring. It’s all a bit mad really. At least one of the tractors that we drive is the size of a small house. It has power steering, no, power everything, and feels as easy, if not easier, than driving a car. And yet, if the driver was to take their eye off the ball for a couple of seconds he/she could find that they had just driven over a car. Apparently 13 year olds are allowed to drive tractors, and 16 year olds can take them on roads.

Here are some wildlife photos taken in the Land Rover and cottage. The moth (in the LR) is a winter moth (Operophtera brumata). Apparently it has an internal anti-freeze that prevents it allows it to fly through the winter. Top stuff. The beetle was found wandering the cottage looking for st john’s wort.

: Winter moth

: Chrysolina hyperici – the st john’s wort eating beetle. Sadly, this one had become lost.

: Here I can be seen nonchalantly reversing over a barn

: Here Tia and Yasmin head for the M5 with a loader full of grit

19 January, 2011 | Categories: RSPB, Work | Leave a comment

Stockland Turbaries

The big project at RSPB Aylesbeare at the moment is to ‘restore’ habitat in an area called the Stockland turbaries. Historically, the Stockland turbaries were areas of bog or lowland heath where peat was dug and used for fuel. Typically these areas are dominated by heather and gorse (gorse was also used for fodder). But the area that we’re working in is also a stronghold for bog myrtle in Devon. The decline of traditional heathland practices has resulted in a reduction of the wildlife associated with heathland.

This is a contentious issue. I don’t want to use this blog as a tool to promote or knock heathland, but I can see that there are good reasons for protecting heathland where it exists, and hence preventing species loss if those species have evolved to live in such a habitat. I have found it a little more difficult to come to terms with the removal of semi-mature woodland in the name of habitat restoration. Whilst carrying out the work Dr David Allen has been out to view our progress on numerous occasions, and his enthusiasm is persuasive. But I’ve still a lot to learn about these habitats, and I hope to better understand both sides of the argument before I move on to pastures new in a couple of months.

In the mean time, the work itself is a lot of fun. I’m spending a lot of time on the chainsaw, working out cuts, wind direction, safety, etc, and then hauling about big lumps of wood. I’m tired at the end of each day (most of us fall asleep in the LR on the way back to base), but it’s a good tired, and I’m sure my general strength levels have improved enormously.